Don't Give Up (On Me)

Epilogue

The crowd roared after Tetsu and Eita finished their first of several colab tracks during the encore. Earlier, they announced that they'd be releasing a joint album of singles and duos the next year, with a possible tour for select cities to follow. Then, when Tetsu set up to sing his solo set, Eita went to what passed as a backstage area and waited for Hayato.

"Are they here, yet?" he asked Hayato, his manager and friend, as he quickly changed clothes.
"Just arrived," Hayato replied. "They should be here any minute..."
"Took you long enough, Semi-Semi!" Tori announced his presence as he appeared around the corner. "We were about to start placing bets on how long it'd take."
"Don't call me that!" He gave Tori a dirty look, but then smiled at his friend, and at Toshi, who finally joined them. "I wasn't going to be too long. I wanted to elope this past winter, but she wanted our friends with us, so we set it for spring, instead."
"Elopement? How scandalous!" Tori didn't look the least bit scandalized.
"Where is she, anyway?" Toshi asked, looking around for her.
"She'll be back in a minute," Hayato answered. "And no congrats yet!"
"What? Why not?"
"Let's just say she's blissfully unaware of our plans."
"Plans? If you've already asked, and she said yes, then why...?"
"Call it a formality, I guess?"
Hayato handed over a small pink velvet box to Eita, who took it gently from him. Tori was already crowding him and Toshi was all eyes. Opening the box, he revealed what was inside.
"Ooooo," Tori crooned. "That practically screams Yacchan! She'll love it."
"I hope so," Eita said nervously, closing the box. "It took forever to find the perfect one."
The sound of a camera snapping a round of pictures intruded, but no one saw fit to reprimand Iwaizumi, who held the camera, or Oikawa, who was leaning against the corner of the temporary wall.
"Dare I ask for an interview with the happy couple?"
"I'll leave that up to her," Eita replied. "But don't count on one right away."
"Tsk. Spoilsport. Still, I call first dibs."
"Wouldn't think of anyone else before you. Also, say nothing to Hitoka, got it?"
"Surprising our little star, are we?"
"Who's a little star?" Hitoka asked as she walked up with Kei behind her, fluffing her hair. "Kei, stop that!"
"I just want it to be perfect," he complained as she dodged him.
"Kei, stop! It's fine. It's fluffed enough. Though why we went to all this trouble is beyond me. I didn't have to change..."

Her voice faded into nothing as she realized who was standing in the hallway. Eita watched her face as her expression went from happy to confused and then something comically in between. Good thing she'd been distracted enough by Kei that he had time to quickly hide the box in the pocket of his cargo shorts. Kei gave him a wink and a thumbs up.

"What are you doing here?" she asked everyone. She turned to Tori and Toshi. "Weren't you going to Okinawa for a vacation?" Toshi shook his head, and Tori tried to look innocent while looking everywhere but at her. And whistling. Hitoka rolled her eyes and then looked at Oikawa and Iwaizumi and simply raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I met the deadline I spoke of at the shrine," he shrugged helplessly. "Oh! Yahaba and Kyotani's trial will be held in November in Takashima."
"I know," she said slowly. "It still doesn't explain..."
"Kuroo's wrapping up his set. Eita, you know which songs you're going to sing?" Hayato interrupted.
"Yep!"
"Alright, good. Now, get out there!"

Hayato half shoved him out from backstage and he made his way out to where Kuroo stood waving at the crowd.

"You ready?" Kuroo asked, loud enough for him to hear.
"I have never been so ready in my entire life!"
"Good luck, dude! And congrats!"
"Thanks!"
Eita turned to the crowd and waved, picking up his guitar from the stand he'd left it on, and adjusted the mic.
"Thanks again for coming out to support us, guys! We really do appreciate it! Now, I hope you're ready, because this encore performance will be the best one yet!!"

From backstage, Hitoka's smile grew wider with each song he sang. They were all her favorites, and like any self-respecting fangirl, she sang along with him and the crowd who went wild. She watched as he played his guitar, scanned the crowd with his eyes, stopping at various points, gesturing for when he wanted the crowd to sing along with him, and again when he wanted them to quiet down. He loved this; loved being onstage. She could just tell how happy he was to be performing again.